A California man charged with joining anti-government extremists in rioting at the U.S. Capitol told the IRS last year that he formed a charity called the American Phoenix Project to defend “human and civil rights” and educate the public about vaccines.
Instead, Alan Hostetter used his tax-exempt nonprofit as a platform to oppose COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, protest that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump and advocate for violence against political opponents, according to an eight-count indictment secured by the U.S. Justice Department.
Hostetter’s attorney, Bilal Essayli, accused Justice Department prosecutors of pushing a “false narrative” by including the allegations about his client’s use of the charity. Hostettler isn’t charged with making any politically motivated threats or misusing the nonprofit, he noted.Story continues “To protect its integrity, we can’t discuss potential or ongoing investigations,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.to far-right extremist groups.
Another co-defendant, Russell Taylor, joined the board of directors for the American Phoenix Project last year, according to prosecutors. On the eve of the Capitol riot, Taylor spoke at a pro-Trump rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court as part of a panel of American Phoenix Project speakers, the indictment says.
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